Missouri businesses frequently purchase general liability coverage, which can help pay for damages if someone says that your company’s actions caused injury or property damage.

Sometimes called business liability insurance or professional liability insurance, this kind of policy can also help cover legal defense fees including attorney fees, court costs and settlements if someone sues you.

For instance, an office building owner blames a Kansas City snow plowing company for failing to put down road salt after a visitor has a slip-and-fall accident in an icy parking lot.

General liability insurance could help the plowing business pay for the visitor’s medical bills. It could also assist with legal fees and damages if the injured visitor filed a lawsuit.

Owners of construction and cleaning companies in Missouri might want to include tools and equipment coverage with their policy. This optional add-on can help repair or replace essential business gear that’s lost, damaged or stolen outside of wear and tear.

Keep in mind that many commercial landlords and clients will require proof of business liability insurance before they’ll sign a lease or contract with your business.

State law requires many businesses with employees to carry Missouri workers’ comp insurance. This kind of coverage is designed to help pay for medical costs, rehabilitation and lost wages when employees are hurt on the job.

For instance, an employee of a Columbia auto repair shop strains a back muscle while moving a heavy piece of equipment. Workers’ compensation insurance could help cover the worker’s doctor bills and physical therapy costs, as well as a portion of lost wages while they’re unable to work.

If your Missouri business involves driving, you’ll want to add commercial auto coverage to your business insurance needs. That’s because personal auto insurance won’t pay for accidents if you’re on the road for work purposes.

For example, two employees of an Independence-based HVAC company are driving the company truck to a job site, hit a guardrail and require medical attention. Commercial auto insurance could help cover the workers’ emergency room expenses and pay to fix their vehicle.

Hired and non-owned auto insurance is an optional add-on that’s important if your company asks employees to drive their own cars or rent vehicles for business. It offers protection for autos not titled to your business.

Missouri commercial property insurance, sometimes called business property insurance, can help pay for business property that’s damaged or destroyed after a covered event, such as water, fire or wind incidents.

For example, a kitchen fire at a Springfield casual dining restaurant damages the cooking station. Commercial property coverage could help pay to repair the grill and replace cookware that was ruined.

It’s important to read your policy documents carefully to make sure there aren’t exclusions for your business. Many carriers don’t cover flood and hurricane damage.

Professional liability coverage, also known as E&O or errors and omissions insurance, can help protect your company if you’re accused of professional negligence that caused someone financial loss. It can help pay damages and legal costs in cases of missed deadlines or incomplete work.

For example, a software engineer in St. Louis is under contract to build an e-commerce website for a small boutique. The client says that the site doesn’t work according to the terms of the contract and files a lawsuit for lost revenue and the cost to fix the bugs.

E&O coverage could help the software engineer pay attorney fees, court costs and any damages for which they’re held responsible.